Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that there is no evidence showing that the condition manifested during or was related to his military service.

Service connection for hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, neck pain secondary to right elbow condition, and right shoulder pain secondary to right elbow condition has been granted. An initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD is also granted from March 11, 2024.,The Veteran's PTSD causes occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the claims of obstructive sleep apnea and skin condition/eczema due to potential errors in duty-to-assist.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, including as secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a direct link between military service and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted, and his increased rating claim for lumbar spine disability is also granted to a 40 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of the appeal in February 2026.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.

The Veteran's hypertension and sleep apnea claims are remanded for further evaluation, including a TERA Memorandum and Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER). The Board will consider the synergistic effects of toxic exposures in service when determining the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of adequate medical examination and opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea and his military service, including toxic exposure risk activities, as well as its relation to his service-connected heart disabilities.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for service-connected lumbosacral strain, finding that the evidence did not show ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and limited flexion to less than 30 degrees. The Veteran's claim was previously denied by the Board in December 2024.

The Veteran's PTSD alone does not render him unable to obtain and sustain substantially gainful employment, as his unemployment is primarily due to physical disabilities including bilateral knee conditions, sleep apnea, and neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral feet conditions (to include bone spurs), and obstructive sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's lumbar spine condition and lower extremity radiculopathy conditions were rated at 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively, effective May 24, 2022.,Prior to May 24, 2022, there is no evidence of an increase in severity for the Veteran's lumbar spine condition or lower extremity radiculopathy conditions.

The appeal for service connection of a lumbar spine disability is dismissed as untimely.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart disability, sleep apnea, asthma, and chronic bronchitis as new and relevant evidence was not received to reopen these claims. The Veteran did not have current diagnoses of asthma or chronic bronchitis during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU has been granted due to the submission of new and relevant evidence, including treatment records from VA medical centers and community based outpatient clinics. The AOJ will now readjudicate the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbosacral strain was granted with an effective date of May 31, 2021.

The Veteran's service connection claims for obstructive sleep apnea and bilateral hearing loss have been granted, with a 70% evaluation assigned for the other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The Board found that his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's asbestosis was granted an increased rating of 10 percent, but no higher. Service connection for sleep apnea was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as secondary to his service-connected right knee disability.